Chapter 3 - Gravitation

Physics notes

Gravitational force of the earth or Gravity

➢ We know that, Force is required to make a body move.
➢ If an object is dropped from a height, it always falls towards the earth.
➢ Thus, a force must be acting on it which sets the object in motion.
➢ This force is due to attraction between the earth and the object and is known as the
gravitational force of earth (or gravity of earth).
➢ In fact, the earth attracts (or pulls) all the objects towards its centre.
➢ This gravitational force acts between two objects even if the objects are not in
contact by any means.

The Gravitational force is responsible

➢ For holding the atmosphere above the Earth for the rain to fall on the Earth.
➢ For continuous flow of water in the rivers.
➢ For keeping us firm on the Earth.
➢ For the revolution (Uniform Circular motion) of Planets around the Sun.
➢ For the revolution of moon around the earth, etc.
➢ The gravitational force between the earth and the moon causes tides in the sea.

Newton’s Universal Law Of Gravitation

➢ Every body in the universe attracts every other body with a force which is directly
proportional to the product of their masses and is inversely proportional to the square
of the distance between them.
➢ The direction of force is along the line joining the centres of the two bodies.

NETWON’S UNIVERSAL OF GRAVITATION

Let two bodies A and B of masses 𝑚1 and 𝑚2 be place at a distance of ‘r’ from each other.
Also, Let ‘F’ be the force of attraction between the bodies
Then,
(i) the force of attraction is directly proportional the product of their masses
i.e. F α 𝑚1 x 𝑚2
(ii) the force of attraction is inversely proportional the square of the distance between them
1
i.e. F α 2
𝑟
𝑚1 𝑥 𝑚2
∴Fα 2
𝑟
or
𝑚1 𝑥 𝑚2
F=G 2
𝑟

Where G is a constant called as ‘universal gravitational constant’

Properties of gravitational force

➢ Gravitational force is the weakest force in nature.
➢ It is only an attractive force. (Unlike electrostatic and magnetic force; Which are both
attractive and repulsive)
➢ It is a mutual force. (First body attracts the second and the second body attracts the
first body with equal force)
➢ It is a central force. (Acts along the line joining the centres of the bodies)
➢ It is dependent on mass of it objects and the distance between them.
➢ It is a long range force. (It decreases with distance as per inverse square law and
becomes zero only at infinite distance - like electrostatic and magnetic force)
➢ It does not depends on the medium between the interacting bodies.

Gravitational Force
➢ Though the various objects on this earth attract one another constantly, they do not
cause any visible motion because the gravitational force of attraction between them
is very small.
➢ When both the objects are very big, having large masses, then the gravitational force
of attraction between them becomes extremely large.
➢ The gravitational force due to earth on an object of mass 1 kg placed on the ground
24 6
is 9.8 N. (Taking Mass of Earth = 6 x 10 and the Radius of the Earth = 6.4 x 10 .
➢ The gravitational force between the earth and the moon, at such a large distance, is
20
2 x 10 N.

Universal Gravitational Constant (G)

2
𝑟
𝐺 = 𝐹 𝑚1 × 𝑚2

−11 2 −2
➢ The value of Universal Gravitational Constant G is 6.67 × 10 N 𝑚 𝐾𝑔 .
➢ It was found out by Henry Cavendish, a British philosopher and scientist.
➢ It is same throughout the Universe.
➢ Universal Gravitational Constant ‘G’ is different from acceleration due to gravity ‘g’.
2 −2
➢ SI unit of G is 𝑚 𝐾𝑔
➢ If two bodies of mass 1 kg each are separated by 1 m from each other, then ‘G’ shall
be equal to ‘F’.
Therefore, Universal gravitational constant G is numerically equal to the Gravitational Force
which exists between two bodies of unit masses kept at a unit distance from each other.

FREE FALL
➢ If a body falls from a height, only under the influence of the gravitational force (with
no other forces acting on it), the the body is said to have a free fall.
➢ The body having a free fall is called ‘freely falling body’.
➢ Galileo proved that the acceleration of a free falling object does not depend on the
mass of the object.
➢ In vacuum, If fallen from the same height, then both the feather and the coin shall fall
with same acceleration and reach the ground at the same time.

Acceleration due to gravity (g)...

➢ While undergoing freefall, an object experiences Gravitational Force and thus
accelerates uniformly in the downward direction.
➢ This acceleration is termed as acceleration due to Gravity.
2 2
➢ Acceleration due to gravity (g) = 9.8 m/𝑠 = 980 cm/𝑠 .

Calculation of acceleration due to gravity (g)...

➢ According to Newton’s universal law of gravitation,
𝑀×𝑚
Force exerted by the earth on the body is given by F = G 2
𝑅
This force exerted by the earth produces an acceleration on the body.
Therefore, F = mg where (g = acceleration due to gravity)
𝑀×𝑚 𝐺𝑀
From the two equations, we have mg = 𝐺 2 or 𝑔 = 2
𝑅 𝑅

Acceleration due to gravity (g)

Acceleration due to gravity on the earth is calculated as follows
24
Mass of Earth = 6 × 10
6
Radius of the Earth = 6.4 × 10 ,
−11
And Gravitational Constant G = 6.67 × 10 .
𝐺𝑀
If we substitute all those values in 𝑔 = 2 ,
𝑅
2
then we get g = 9.8 m/𝑠
2
For Simplicity, we may take g = 10m/𝑠 .
NOTE: - The radius of the earth at the poles is less than that at Equator.
Thus 𝑔𝑝 > 𝑔𝑒.
G v/s g

Gravitational Constant (G) Acceleration due to Gravity (g)

It is numerically equal to the Gravitational It is the acceleration that is caused in the

force that acts between two object of mass object due to Gravitational Force.
1 Kg at a separation of 1 m.
−11 2 2 2
It’s Value is 6.67 × 10 N𝑚 /K𝑔 It’s value is 9.8m/𝑠
2 2 2
It’s SI unit is N𝑚 /K𝑔 It’s SI unit is m/𝑠

It is universally constant Its value changes from place to place and

planet to planet.

Mass
➢ The mass of abody is the quantity of matter contained in it.
➢ It is constant and does not change from place to place.
➢ Mass is measured by beam balance or common balance.
➢ Mass of a body cannot be zero.
➢ It is a scalar quantity.
➢ Its SI unit is kilogram or kg.
➢ In CGS system, it is gram or g.

Weight…
If Mass = 6 Kg
Weight = 6 × g
= 6 × 9.8
= 58.8 N (Approx.)

Weight
➢ The weight of a body on the earth is the force with which it is attracted towards the
centre of the earth.
➢ Weight = mass × acceleration due to gravity = m × g.
➢ SI unit of weight is ‘newton’ or N
➢ Weight of 1 kg mass is 9.8 newton.
➢ It is a vector quantity since it has both magnitude and direction.
➢ It changes from place to place.
➢ It is measured by a spring balance.
➢ Weight of a body can be zero. When a body is taken to the centre of the earth,
acceleration due to gravity at the centre is zero and hence weight shall be zero.
 𝑡ℎ
➢ On the moon, acceleration due to gravity is nearly 1/6 of that on the earth and
𝑡ℎ
hence the weight of a body on the moon is 1/6 of its weight on the earth.

Thrust and Pressure

➢ THRUST: Force acting normally on a surface is called the thrust i.e. the force that
acts on an object perpendicular to tis surface is the thrust,
➢ Its SI Unit is Newton.
➢ PRESSURE: The thrust acting on unit area of the surface is called the pressure.
➢
𝑇ℎ𝑟𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝐹
➢ It a thrust F acts on a area A then 𝑃𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 = 𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑎
= 𝐴
2
➢ Its SI Unit N/𝑚 or Pascal (Pa)
2
➢ 1 Pa = 1 N/𝑚 i.e. One Pascal is defined as the pressure exerted by a thrust of 1 N,
2.
acting normally on a surface area of 1 𝑚
➢ Force is inversely proportional to area.
➢ The force acting on a smaller area exerts a larger pressure, this is the reason why a
nail has a pointed tip, and knives have sharp edges.
➢ The force acting on a larger area exerts a smaller pressure. This is the reason why a
building has wide foundation.

Fluids and Buoyancy

➢ Substances, which can flow easily, are called fluids.
➢ All liquids and gases are fluids.
➢ A fluid exerts pressure in all directions - even upwards.
➢ The upward force exerted by fluids on the surface of an object is called the Buoyant
Force or Upward Thrust.
➢ This tendency of a liquid to apply an upward force on an object placed in it is called
Buoyancy.

Why do objects Float or Sink?

➢ It depends on the
○ Buoyant force on the object
○ and the density of the object.
➢ If the magnitude of Buoyant force is more compared to weight of the object, the it will
float.
➢ If the magnitude of Buoyant force is less compared to weight of the object, then it will
sink.

➢ Buoyant force depends on the density of the object.

𝑀𝑎𝑠𝑠
➢ 𝐷𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦 = 𝑉𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒
 ➢ If the density of the object is less than that of fluid, then it will experience greater
Buoyant force compared to its weight and it will float.
➢ If the density of the object is more than that of fluid, then it will experience more
weight than buoyant force and thus shall sink.

Archimedes Principle
➢ When a body is completely or partially immersed in water, then it experiences an
upward thrust which causes the water to displace.
➢ This Upward thrust is equal in magnitude to the weight of the displaced water.
➢ Buoyant force (𝐹𝐵) = weight of displaced liquid = mg
➢ 𝐹𝐵 = V × d × g, where V is the volume of liquid displaced and d is density of liquid
displaced.

Density
➢ Density of a substance is defined as its mass per unit volume.
3
➢ Its SI Unit is Kg/𝑚 .

Relative Density
。
➢ It is defined as the ratio of its density to heat of water at 4 𝐶.
𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑢𝑏𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒
𝑅𝑒𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦 = 。
𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑎𝑡 4 𝐶
➢ Relative density can also be defined as the ratio between mass of the substance and
。
the amss of an equal volume of water at 4 𝐶.
。 3 3
➢ Density of water at 4 𝐶 = 1g/𝑐𝑚 = 1000kg/𝑚 .
➢ It is unit less.